CG Reps

ISSUE 5 April 2006 gamezine THIS EDITION ... SNAPSHOTS...KARAK’S, TIM’S AND DON’S FAREWELLS ...

THIS EDITION Celebration 1 Celebration 2 snapshots 6 CGTV – Commonwealth What a great experience! Games Television 7 Karak’s Korner The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games are over 8 Tim and Don’s Games Diary and the legacy left behind is signifi cant. This GameZINE celebrates the benefi ts of participating in the many different aspects of the Games, through the eyes of those who have been involved. This is our fi fth and fi nal GameZINE! A ten-month journey into the lives of school students and teachers across Victoria has shown the exceptional initiative and innovations that have been taking place. This GameZINE highlights what schools have been doing across Victoria from Horsham to Kew, Keilor Downs to Glen Iris. Thanks to all of you for making the Games come alive in your own communities and for your enthusiasm and embracing of GameZINES in your schools. We hope you enjoy reading the brief snapshots of people from all different areas in this GameZINE and wish you well as you explore the legacy of the Games in the coming months.

Odd Spot Did You Know? Australia’s oldest gold medallist is Dorothy Roache, who was 61 years and 10 months when she won a gold medal in the Women’s Four Lawn Bowls in Auckland in 1990. The youngest is Jenny Turrell, who was 13 years and 8 months when she won the 400m Freestyle in Christchurch in 1974.

Who were the oldest and youngest Australian atheletes at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games?

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ISSUE 5 April 2006

snapshots

what more can you ask for? The Commonwealth Games provided students with a context to connect, unite and celebrate with local and global communities. The CG Reps programs provided avenues through which students could engage in rich learning experiences, accessing knowledge and (further developing) interpersonal and technical skills from primary sources. The master and apprentice learning experiences that occurred at times is what education is all about. I have seen students grow in confi dence, rise to challenges, problem solve set backs, show pride in their achievements and transfer acquired knowledge and skills to new contexts. What more can you ask for?

Above: Proud teacher, Catherine Meakin, Catherine Meakin, Acting Assistant Principal, St Mary’s School refl ects on the journey with her Senior Students over the past twelve months.

clustering together Our cluster management team decided to theme our Commonwealth Games project on “United by the Moment - Are We?” The event spanned three days. Each day two schools hosted 54 students, cross-cluster/cross-age teams participating and competing culminating in a presentation to a host school audience. The areas covered were: Thinking Games performance as part of that school’s weekly radio broadcast, Drama, and Dance; Maths madness; Commonwealth cooking with tasting, cuisine competition. These were chaotic and crazy days that we all enjoyed and really challenged both our staff and students. Heather Carver, Berwick I&E Cluster

Cook Islands Lawn Bowlers visit Horsham SC A committee of students promoted the Games and Games Events within the broader Horsham community. They organised demonstration sports in volleyball, basketball, table tennis, hockey, weightlifting and netball and the presentation of the Games and Cook Islands fl ags to the College. Students were coached in lawn bowls by the Cook Islands Lawn Bowls teams. Students participated in activities with the Sounds of Polynesia dance group from the Cook Islands. Activities included dancing, lei making and grass-skirt making. Students attended meetings of the local council’s Games Organisation Committee and helped with planning for the Queen’s Baton Relay. Above: Monica, Larissa and Harry are Neil King, Year 9 Teacher, Horsham Secondary College team leaders for the Commonwealth Games project awareness team within Horsham SC.

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Reaching out Part of my job was to inform local schools of the programs and resources their council had on offer to raise awareness about the Commonwealth Games and about the municipality’s adopted team, Papua New Guinea. I couldn’t understand why it was so diffi cult to get anyone’s attention. It took three months to get one appointment with a CG Rep. This experience turned into a powerful legacy for the council. It became apparent that although we delivered a range of programs to local schools, we also communicated with as many voices. We now have the “schools group” – an offi cer based community of interest in the organisation, and already our relationship with schools is improving - thanks to the Commonwealth Games! Above: Councils working closely with the community: Verne Krastins, City of Verne Krastins, Coordinator Community Engagement, City of Port Phillip Port Phillip.

preparing for the moment, united by the moment and caught up in the moment!

Year 5/6 students at Genazzano F.C.J. College have been gripped by the enthusiasm and excitement generated from being involved in the Commonwealth Games. One highlight of our activities was when Sue Meaney, a past member of the Australian Netball team, came and talked to us. We were all inspired by her motivation, dedication, perseverance and commitment to hard work. A senior student in our Above: Genazzano students celebrating school competed in the Diving trials and although she missed selection, it gave us all a the Games. personal insight into the process. Janet Considine, Grade 5 Teacher, Genazzano F.C.J. College

what it means to be united…. My class were incredibly enthusiastic about the Commonwealth Games and it tied in perfectly with our Integrated Unit Australians – Who Are We? We discussed our roles within the local and broader community, made plays about respect and responsibility. We talked about what it means to ‘be united’ and researched countries that are part of the Commonwealth. The website was an excellent resource for teacher planning and student research. Students dressed teddies and toys in national outfi ts and sporting clothes to give talks based on the information they found. It was great! Wendy Chang, Grade 3 Teacher, Deepdene Primary School

Above: Wendy Chang and students Hannah and George explore what it means to be Australian.

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working together makes a difference The Commonwealth Games were the catalyst for many varied student learning opportunities. Students have: been involved in focus groups; developed an understanding of Ethics in Sport; worked with Keilor Downs Primary on a Games Day where Nigerian visitors (our second team) spoke about their country; worked with the local council in preparation for the baton to visit Brimbank; won Safeway tickets to attend athletics; contributed actively to GameZINE; won the VIS Competition and met Tim and Don! The long-term benefi ts have been curriculum change, forging links with a Scottish school and involving our students as leaders and decision-makers. It’s been a fantastic Above: A fantastic experience so far. experience so far! Bruce Knights, Keilor Downs College. Bruce Knights, Pathways Coordinator, Keilor Downs College

using the resources to make a difference

Our pre-Games build-up was packed with informative PD sessions and a wealth of teaching materials that have been a fantastic addition to our teaching program in 2005/2006. The website has been an invaluable tool increasing the students’ knowledge about the Games, the participating nations, the events and many other aspects of the Commonwealth. Students participated in School2School with Scotsburn Elementary, Canada from mid-2005, created posters for the Arts4Athletes program, had their artwork displayed for the local community before being sent off to the athletes. Tonga’s fl ag is proudly displayed in the library after we won a Gamezine competition. It’s been great! Above: Michael and Justin using ‘Starting Nicole Vargo, Gr 5/6 Teacher, Glen Iris Primary School Blocks’ for research.

elite female athletes visit Lowther Hall Students at Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, Essendon gained an insight into the life of a top-level sport and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, when they were visited by athletes from the Victorian Institute of Sport. Carly Wilson, who will play with the Opals in the fi rst basketball match at the Games, goalkeeper for Australia’s women’s soccer team Melissa Barbieri and Melbourne Phoenix and international netballer Renae Hallinan, spent the day with students from Years 7 to 10 and their teachers. The athletes spoke at a Commonwealth Games assembly and conducted Above: Students from Lowther Hall training and information sessions in basketball, netball and soccer. Anglican Grammar School were visited by elite athletes from the Victorian Institute Leanne Backwell, Community Relations, Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School of Sport.

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what our Canadian friends think….. The students from Scotsburn Elementary in Nova Scotia, Canada, have enjoyed the School2School program corresponding with students at Glen Iris PS. We have found the information that the students sent us about Victoria interesting and we hope they learnt more about Canadian life too. The education materials you led us to on the M2006 website have been great resources, especially Starting Blocks where we learnt about sports like Netball. There is very little on the Commonwealth Games on the Canadian websites we’ve visited. Our province of Nova Scotia has bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Thanks for sharing this experience with us! Heather BishopAmero, Principal and Grade 5 Social Studies Teacher, Scotsburn Above: Students from Scotsburn Elementary School, Canada Elementary school in Canada have made friends with Australian students through the School2School Program.

celebrating student work via the school intranet Yr 3/4 students from Carnegie Primary School divided into small groups choosing a different topic about the Commonwealth Games. Every student became an expert in their own fi eld of enquiry. Students used a range of resources, particularly the M2006 website. Topics included “History of the Games”, “The Queen’s Baton Relay”, “Sports” and “The Environmentally-friendly Games”. Groups produced posters then a summary of all information was placed onto the class webpage, so that it could be shared with the whole school community via the intranet. Students compared these two methods of presenting their information, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each Above: Students at Carnegie Primary School working on Commonwealth Games Cate Allan, Grade 3/4 Teacher, Carnegie Primary School projects. CG Reps has been really valuable As a classroom teacher I found the CG Reps program to be an extremely valuable adventure. The children were actively engaged in the real-life learning experiences that were both relevant and benefi cial. Throughout the program the children in my class grew in confi dence and leadership, as well as furthering their communication and organisational skills. The children took on both individual and class responsibilities for which they were accountable. The children took charge, whilst I guided them through strategic questioning. The highlight of the program was the School2School initiative. The children communicated at a global level investigating the culture and customs of another country. Sam Maguire, Grade 5/6 Teacher, St Mary’s Ascot Vale Above: Sam Maguire has enjoyed the CG Reps program and linking with St Mary’s in Canada.

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Balwyn High ideas online Balwyn HS are initiating a Year 9 curriculum, based on open learning and independent enquiries. The Hosting of the Commonwealth Games provided an ideal opportunity for students to explore the big question of how major events impact on Melbourne and its people. The students explored the benefi ts and controversies surrounding the Games, including: increased security measures; increased employment opportunities; the expense of hosting a major event; the ethics surrounding the removal of the homeless and effi ciency of Melbourne’s public transport. One group developed their own website in which they presented their fi ndings. Rajas Govender, Year 9 Teacher, Balwyn High School Above: An example of the content uploaded by Balwyn High School students.

CGTV – Commonwealth Games Television

Teams of students from schools across Victoria called CGTV Crews, have been trained in television production and media skills. Throughout 2005 and early 2006, these students then worked to produce a series of segments about the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The end result is the CGTV DVD package that features all of these segments to create a snapshot of the Games through the eyes of Victoria’s school students. DVD One – People and Performances This DVD includes segments, short fi lms, skits and TV shows about local community stories, sporting heroes, Future Athletes and issues about the Commonwealth Games. DVD Two – Events and Places This DVD includes segments about many of the nations of the Commonwealth and the sports and disciplines of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. DVD Three – Training Materials The Training materials include: Quiet on Set! – Eight students were let loose in a studio over a six week period to encourage them to develop a training program for their peers. Quiet on Set! is made by students for students and looks at the various roles of television and media production The making of Quiet on Set! – A behind the scenes look at how eight students developed a training program for peers involved in the CGTV program. A must see for anyone interested in media production. Training Days – CGTV crews participated in two Training Days held in Melbourne and Ballarat to learn about interview and camera techniques and styles. Look out for the CGTV DVD arriving in your school in April.

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ISSUE 5 April 2006 Karak’sKarak’s KornerKorner Gidday! I was so happy once the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games started, I thought my feathers would fall out! And now that the Games are over, I am pleased to return to Stringy Bark Lane, a little wiser and certainly fi tter than when I started. I have made so many friends – all of you out there – and have learned so much about how we can work together to protect our environment (so that there will be many more baby Karaks to come) but also what it’s like to be united, even just for a short moment, with friends from around the world! Oh it was so much fun….

So, this is our last GameZINE together. I can feel the tears streaming down to the tip of my beak….thanks everyone for being so nice and friendly and good luck at school! I’m thinking of going back to school now with Pete the Platypus. The local TAFE (Talon and Feather Education Institute) has an Event Management course we are thinking of doing so we can host the next furry, cute, friendly and cheeky indigenous Animals Games at Red Gum Creek in 2010.

If you’re good, we might even invite you along…..

Bye for now. All the best!

Karak (the cheeky and handsome M2006 Offi cial Mascot)

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Above: Karak at the Commonwealth Games, a children’s story written by Year 8 Eleanor, Keilor Downs College. www.melbourne2006.com/education Page 8 CG Reps gamezine

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Tim and Don’s Gidday everyone! Games Diary

Wow, what a great Commonwealth Games! I hope the Games lived up to expectation for all of you as it did for us. I had the opportunity to commentate on the EAD (Elite Athletes with a Disability) events at the athletics and had an incredible time doing so. My most memorable moment from the Games was Kerryn McCann running the Marathon and doing such a wonderful job to get up and win. It was a time that I won’t forget in a hurry. I must admit watching my best mate Tim compete in the fi nal of the T46 men’s 200m sure did leave me with a few tense moments. With so many false starts, it was a relief just to get the race under way. I was proud of Tim for doing the best he could that night but mostly proud of the moment and the journey that he had, just to get there. As an athlete, you are always wanting to get a chance to compete on the big stage and as it was not my turn this time round I am so grateful that my best mate got a chance and I was able to share in that journey with him. I hope you will all remember the excitement of the athletes who earned the opportunity to represent their country and believe if you would like to do it some day that it is possible. Remember to keep your mind and body active and have a great life. Cheers Don Elgin

Competing in a home Commonwealth Games was an amazing experience. Even though I had some injury troubles leading up to the Games, which prevented me from running near my best, it was still very enjoyable. The four false starts we had prior to my 200m fi nal also didn’t help my chances as I was always going to struggle to run the distance without the extra runs. To be able to compete in front of 83,000 people in the greatest stadium in the world is a memory I’ll have forever. Like Don, my favourite moment was watching Kerryn McCann come into the stadium in the Marathon on the fi rst day at the track events. The sustained roar around the whole stadium was the greatest atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of. There were many emotional people in the stadium. My 200 metre race on March 24 was my last ever over that distance. I still believe I can run a fast 100 metres so I’m going to concentrate on the shorter sprint for the next year before I weigh up whether Beijing in 2008 is a possibility for me. Hope you all enjoyed the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games as much as we athletes did and many of you were able to get to see some of your heroes compete, who once may have just been like you; a student playing sport watching the Sydney Olympics back in Above: Keilor Downs College 2000. Our next generation of stars are you guys. students loved the training Believe it and get out and achieve it... session and delicious breakfast with EAD athletes Tim Matthews Cheers and Don Elgin at the Victorian Tim Matthews Institute of Sport.

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